Australian company claims first organic certified skin care brand

Fine Organics has launched what is claimed to be the first certified organic skin care brand on the planet, tapping into the huge growth in demand for natural and organic products that are clearly labelled and officially recognised.

Miessence is a complete range of personal care products that also includes hair and oral care lines, as well as cosmetics,. Specific products include toothpaste, mouthwash, deodorant, shampoos, conditioners, moisturizers, foundations and concealers - all aimed at the higher end of the mass market. The company says that almost all of the ingredients it uses are organic certified, which means that 95 per cent of the ingredients of agricultural origin are in fact organic. Increasingly tough international testing for compliance of organic ingredients and products has left many personal care producers struggling to comply with tough regulations that often vary significantly from country to country. Fine Organics has managed to achieve compliance with the USDA, Japanese Agricultural Standards (JAS), The International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements (IFOAM) and the Biological Farmers of Australia (BFA) – certification that is generally perceived to be the most far-reaching within the industry. The company is marketing its complete personal care line on the strength that its naturally derived products avoid harsh chemicals that might increase the chance of consumers exposing themselves to toxins. Manufactured in Australia by One Group, a health and personal care provider that markets a range of products worldwide, the Fine Organics brand is making an impact in this fast-growing market by mainly marketing its products through the internet. The company is targeting Europe as one of its key markets for the brand, and is particularly focused on the UK, where some of the highest rates of growth for organic and natural personal care products have been witnessed in recent years. Indeed, what was once a highly niche sector, has now developed to such a point that there are now an increasing number of organic personal care offerings targeting the mass market in Europe. Market researcher Organic Monitor currently estimates that the market for organic and natural personal care products is growing at approximately 20 per cent a year, a rate that looks set to drive the value of the market beyond the €1bn point this year.